‘Sex offender’ trial date awaits DNA result

A Soweto primary school teacher accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old pupil will know next month when his trial will begin at the Protea Magistrate’s Court.

This is after he briefly took to the dock yesterday, when his case was postponed due to outstanding DNA results that could link him to the crime.

The former Sediba Thuto Primary School teacher has been in custody since his arrest on November 21 last year.

He allegedly sexually assaulted the pupil during detention after school – a day before his arrest.

The teacher had made the child stay behind for detention after he damaged a textbook and allegedly sexually assaulted the boy.

During his abandoned bail application bid, the teacher denied he had committed the crime and said he was framed.

The boy’s relative had noticed something amiss with him on his return from school that day, and when he alleged that the teacher was the culprit he was taken to the nearby police station, which referred them to the Chris

Hani- Baragwanath Academic Hospital. The hospital confirmed the pupil had been sexually assaulted.

This led to the boy’s family opening a case against the teacher, who was arrested on school premises the following day.

Last week The Citizen established that the teacher has since been fired by the Gauteng Department of Education.

Department spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said the teacher, who had not yet been served with a disciplinary notice, was informed through his lawyer to apply for formal leave while in custody.

However, she said the leave application was not completed and therefore the teacher was dismissed.

The dismissal meant the teacher has been officially banned from serving in the public service in any capacity.